Young Nigerians have been urged to leverage digital platforms to intensify advocacy for the passage of the Women’s Reserved Seats Bill, aimed at increasing gender inclusion and representation in governance structures.
The call was made during a public dialogue on the Nigerian Reserved Seats for Women Bill, themed “Her Voice, Her Vote, Her Seat,” held on Friday in Abuja to engage youth leaders.
The event was organized by Open Minds Young Voices (OMYV), a community of young advocates for social justice and good governance, in collaboration with TOS Foundation and with support from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Ms. Esther Raji, a representative of OMYV, highlighted the persistently low representation of women in political and appointive positions, stressing the urgent need for robust, gender-responsive governance across Nigeria.
“We are driving this high-level youth-led convening to raise awareness, deepen public engagement, and strengthen advocacy efforts toward the passage of the Nigerian Women’s Reserved Seats Bill,” she said.
Mr. Kingsley Simtin, Executive Director of TOS Foundation, noted that Nigerian women occupy less than five per cent of elective positions, emphasizing the need to reshape Nigeria’s democratic future to be fully inclusive.
“When half the population is underrepresented, the nation cannot fully progress. This Reserved Women’s Seats Bill is not just another legislative proposal; it is a historic opportunity to correct structural injustice. But legislation does not pass on good intentions alone. It requires public awareness, coalition building, unified advocacy, and active citizen engagement—especially from young people empowered to monitor political decisions,” he added.
Simitin also encouraged youths to track lawmakers’ positions on the bill using the recently launched 469 Tracker, a digital accountability platform that shows where each of the 469 federal lawmakers stands on the Reserved Women’s Seats Bill.
“The 469 Tracker makes information public, accessible, and easy to understand. It ensures no lawmaker can hide behind silence, and it amplifies the voices of Nigerians, particularly young people and women, where it matters most in influencing legislation,” he said.
During a panel session on “The Path to Passage: Barriers, Opportunities and the Way Forward,” participants highlighted the need for public awareness and youth mobilization to support gender-inclusive governance.
Miss Amina Yahaya, a development practitioner, urged youths to amplify advocacy for the bill via social media while actively engaging policymakers, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders.
Miss Andikan Umoh, advocacy lead at TOS Foundation, emphasized:
“You cannot compensate under representation with symbolic appointments. It is not tokenism. The time is now for action. Let us use the 469 Tracker to monitor parliamentarians and hold them accountable. The Reserved Seats for Women Bill must be passed to guarantee gender equity.”
Ms. Bushrah Balogun, a specialist in policy, governance, and social inclusion, stressed grassroots advocacy and awareness campaigns in local languages to ensure widespread understanding and support for the bill.
Ms. Adaora Sydney-Jack, Executive Director of Gender Strategy and Advancement International (GSAI), called for championing inclusive development and inspiring a generation of women and youths to break barriers across Africa.
Dr. Chidozie Aja, Special Adviser (Legislative) to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, reiterated the urgent need to enact legislation that strengthens women’s representation and promotes inclusive governance.
